The State
House Anti-Corruption Unit of Uganda has been petitioned by two concerned
citizens from Kisoro Municipality over alleged corruption tendencies in
allocation of lockups and stalls at Kisoro old market.
The two
petitioners are, Niyonzima Innocent, former LC4 Councillor representing people
with disabilities in Kisoro municipality and Sunday Andrew also a former LC4 Councillor for Gishegera ward.
The petition dated 8th June 2023 and addressed to
the head of state house anti-corruption unit was received on 12th June and
numbered with reference number 6409/23.
According to the petition seen by our reporter, the
two persons are concerned with the non transparent code in which stalls and
lockups at Kisoro old market have been allocated as the market is set to
benefit from ,Markert and Agricultural Trade Improvement programme (MATIP).
The letter indicates that municipal authorities have
already allocated 60 extra lockups for themselves and have sold each at one
million shillings to their business colleagues and relatives yet other people
are getting each lockup at 20 million shillings.
The same letter also indicates that there have been
no engagements with legitimate market vendors and lockup owners in decision
making processes.
"It has come to our attention that kisoro
municipal officials have failed to engage key stakeholders, including market
vendors and lockup owners in the decision making process". Part of the petition
reads
In the petition, it is demanded that state house
anti-corruption unit investigates municipal authorities of corruption,
facilitates and ensures full engagement of stakeholders in decision making,
direct the town clerk to publish names of who have been allocated with stalls
and lockups, facilitate public consultations among others to ensure fairness,
transparency and protection of rights for stall and lockup owners.
In a related development, the Kisoro municipal town
clerk, Haruna Kamba has said that the upgrade of Kisoro old market under MATIP
project has been halted.
Kamba noted that no clear reason has been given to
him by the responsible ministry but was told that all beneficiary
municipalities of the MATIP project phase three will have to wait until further
notice.
According to Haruna, the advertisement calling for
contractors to take on these constructions was also suspended on Tuesday 13th
June 2023.
While asked if the processes have been halted due to
the alleged corruption tendencies, Kamba said that the government cannot halt
its programmes aimed at creating wealth through production and employment
opportunities to its citizens.
He also noted that the petition to the state house
anti-corruption unit has trivial issues that the government cannot pay
attention to. He however noted that a committee will be established to
investigate the issues raised in the petition.
On Monday evening, The Kisoro Municipal Mayor, Ndyana Richard said contractors and their consultant had been procured to commence construction works in the old market.
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